The organisation of terrorist groups in the age of globalisation : hierarchies, networks and leaderless resistance movements

The purpose of this research is to examine the issue of continuity and change in the organisation of terrorist groups during the age of globalisation. Primarily, it seeks to address the problem of whether there is a ‘new’ type of terrorist group that is qualitatively different from ‘traditional’ terrorist groups. It will focus on determining to what extent terrorist groups function as ‘hierarchies’, ‘networks’ or ‘leaderless resistance movements’. In order to examine these issues, the research will conduct a comparative case study analysis of three different terrorist organisations: the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA), the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Al Qaeda (AQ). It will draw on a wide range of data sources, including academic material, government reports, media information and internet material. The research will show that as opposed to operating as pure hierarchies, networks or leaderless resistance movements, terrorist organisations have actually functioned as ‘hybrids’ of these different organisational models. Furthermore, the research will demonstrate that many of the supposedly unique organisational characteristics of ‘new’ terrorist groups, such as Al Qaeda, can in fact be observed in much older groups, such as the Provisional IRA and the Animal Liberation Front. Indeed, there appears to be substantial continuity in the organisation of terrorist groups, especially in the way that networks are combined with other forms of organisational architecture